28 July 1540 – Henry VIII Marries Wife Number 5, Catherine Howard

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception 


On the 28th July 1540, Henry VIII married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, the woman he called his “rose without a thorn”, at Oatlands Palace.
The King had only just had his marriage to Anne of Cleves annulled so the wedding was private and low key, and therefore is not mentioned by the chroniclers Edward Hall, Charles Wriothesley and Raphael Holinshed. They do, however, mention Catherine’s first public appearance as Queen on 8th August at Hampton Court Palace. Hall wrote:
“The eight day of August, was the Lady Katheryn Haward, nece to the duke of Norfolk and daughter to the lord Edmond Haward, shewed openly as Quene at Hampton Court, whiche dignitie she enyoyed not long, as after ye shall here.”
Yes, she did not enjoy the position of Queen for very long as she was taken by armed guard to Syon Abbey on 4th November 1541, lost her title of Queen on 22nd November 1541 and was executed for treason on 13th February 1542.
You can find out more about Catherine Howard in the following articles:

• The Marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine Howard
• Catherine Howard – The Material Girl?
• The Fall of Catherine Howard

Related Posts

• 30 June 1541 – Henry VIII and Catherine Howard Head North on Progress
• The Executions of Catherine Howard and Lady Rochford: An Eye Witness Account
• Elizabeth Tilney, grandmother of Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, and her cousin Agnes Tilney, their step-grandmother by Marilyn Roberts